Amusement device



NOV. 27, 1934. A E 1,982,391

AMUSEMENT DEVI CE Filed Feb. 17, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I lFreclLMark% Nov. 27, 1934. I

F. L. MARKEY AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Feb. 17, 1932 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNIT D STATES AMUSEMENT DEVICE Fred Lawrence Markey, Lawrence, Mass., assignor. .to Dod'gem Corporation, Lawrence, Mass, acorporation of. Massachusetts Application February 1'7, 1932, Serial No.1593,581

11 Claims.

invention relates to an amusement appa ratus of the type, including occupant-controlled dirigible oars operating on a platform or floor and having the capacity, at the will of the operator, to dodge or collide with other cars.

A primary object of. the invention is to provide an animated amusement apparatus simulating animal circus wherein the, patrons may select separate vehicles bearing images of animals or other objects of their preference which will serve as direction indicating means, and may also be caused. to produce sounds to imitate the image, or other weird noises, which'add materially to the ludicrous and otherwise amusing fieatures of the apparatus.

In carrying forward, object, the invention contemplates the provision of a direction indicator in the form of an or; other figure of such a character as to serve as a direction indicator or signal to advise the operator of the vehicle of the position of the otherwise concealed combined guiding and traction unit forming a part of the propelling unit which may be of the general type shown. inv Stoehrer et al'. Patents Nos. 1,467,959; 1,373,108 and Markey Patents Nos. 1,772,220 and 1,839,981.

' A further object oft'he invention is to'provide an amusement car of the typedescribed equipped with a sound producing and amplifying system including a microphone and reproducer, the said microphone being supported in a position convenient to the occupantsseat while the reproducer or speaker is concealed within the image or figure forming the direction indicating the hood or cover for the combined guiding and traction unit.

With the above and. other. objects in view, which will more readilyappear. asithe nature of the. invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated iandclaimed.

A preferred andpractical embodiment 'of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, iii-which: 1 I

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating thegenera'l layout of the apparatus comprising the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-'sectiorialview of one of the cars or vehicles, the same diagrammatically illustrating the electrical circuits in volved. fl ,7 f

Similar reference character-s1. designate correspending parts throughout the: several figures ofv the drawings. a i 1 In carrying forward the objects of the invention previously set forth, it will, of course, be understoodthat the apparatus is intendedto include a floor or arena of sufiicient size to accommodate a plurality of occupant-controlled vehicles, each having its direction-.indicator simulating a. di t-- ferent figurealthouglr Figure 1 of the: drawings illustrates, by way of example, only two of these units.- Q j I I a In the embodiment shown; the apparatus includes in its organization a suitable housing structure having a metallic floor A, and an electricallycharged ceiling B and, a plurality of, cars C. Each; car carries atrolley T for supplying current to the motor M of the combined traction and guiding unit, andto; an amplifier system which includes the amplifying device D, the microphone'E and the reproducer or loudspeaker. F, as will hereinafter: more fully appear. Each car also: includes a platform 1 mountedfor travelling movement on. the casters or Wheels 2 and the combined guiding and traction wheel 3' The upper side of the: platform carries the occupantsv seat 4 suitably positioned with reference to a steering, column S. having, a steeringwheel- W at the upper end thereof.

Ihe: combined, guiding and traction unit including the motor-M and the; guiding and traction wheel: 3 is preferably rotatably mounted at the front end of the platformin advance of the steering columns. This unit-includes a suitable support or carrier for the. motor andthe wheel 3', the same being shown in the: present embodiment as comprising a tubular body 5 provided with a bearing shoulder 6 for engaging with abearing ring or collar-Tl mounted in an opening in the floor 1. The; lower end of the support 18,1310- videdwithasprocket wheel 8. and is also provided with suitable journal bearings 9 forsupporting the shaft 10 of the combined guiding and traction wheel 3. The upper end ofthe member 5 carries therewith and supports themotor M, the said motorhaving a drive shaft: 11 provided with a driving Pinion 12adapted to enga e with a gear ring 13 carried by the, combined. steering, and traction wheel 3. i I

The sprocket Wheel .8 at thebottom-uof the member 5 receives a sprocket chain 14 adapted to engage with the gear 15 controlled byxa suitable steering shaft or column-S mounted in the steering column support 8-. It will, of a course, be understood that. the: shaft for operating thegear 15 may, include any conventional device such as bevel gears or universal couplings for transmitting movement of the shaft caused by the wheel directed to the gear 15, so that the steering wheel may be conveniently positioned with reference to the occupants seat 4.

One of the distinctive features of the invention resides in providing the combined driving and traction unit with a direction indicating member preferably in the form of a cover or housing which rotates therewith. This housing or cover is designated generally as H and may be in the form of cover or housing H is, of course, preferably hollow and may be provided with the interior lugs or shoulders 16 or their equivalent for engaging with bracket means 17 carried by the upper side of the rotatable member 5. Therefore, it will be apparent that the cover or hood H is detachably mounted on the rotatable guiding and traction unit, but at all times rotates therewith when in position.

For the purpose of permitting the operator or occupant of the vehicle to selectively energize the motor M, a suitable operator-controlled switch 18 is provided. This switch, as shown, is of the foot-controlled type and includes the contacts 19 and 20, the former being carried by the switch member 18 which is pivoted as at 18 and held in a normally open'position by the spring 18 The contact 20 is connected by the wire 21 directly with the trolley wire which collects current from the electrically charged ceiling B, so that when the occupant of the car operates the switch member 18, the contact 19 will supply current through the wire 22 to a fixed brush contact 23 mounted on a brush support 24 concealed within the skirt of the hood H. The brush '23 contacts with a conductor ring 25 mounted on an insulating band 26 carried by the member 5. The ring 25 is connected by the wire 25 directly to the input terminal of the motor M, and it will, of course, be understood that since the said motor M is ground ed from the ground lead 25 through its supporting frame andthe wheel 3 to the metallic fioor A, which'is in the ground circuit of the power line,

9 the circuit through the motor will be completed,

when the switch is closed.

As previously indicated the present apparatus includes two animated features, one of them being the novel direction indicator previously described, and the other a sound reproducing amplifier system which will now be referred to more in detail.

Preferably arranged beneath theseat 4 or other convenient place there is provided a radio amplifier D which is connected by the wire D' with the movable contact 19 of the switch 18. When the switch is closed, raw alternating current may be supplied to the amplifier D in accordance with the well known principle of radio amplification utilizing this source of power. The ground for the amplifier D is furnished by the wire D which connects the ground terminal of the amplifier with a suitable metallic part of the vehicle such for example as the metallic frame 2a of the Wheel or caster 2 which trave'ls on' the metallic floor A. Thus, it will be apparent that when the vehicle is in use, that is, ready for being driven or actuated by the operator, the amplifier D is supplied with current or operating power. This arrangement renders the amplifying system operative only when the motor is operative but it will of course be understood that by connecting the amplifier direct to the trolley the amplifier can be made operative independently of the motor.

The microphone E is, as previously indicated, carried by the steering column S at the location of the steering wheel W. As shown in Figure 2, the said microphone E is preferably supported in a bed of sponge rubber E or its equivalent, and is also provided with a perforated shield or guard E to prevent damage thereto by the operator of the vehicle. The microphone E is included in the input circuit of the amplifier device D, which circuit is designated by the wires 30 and 31. And, to permit of the free-rotation of the steering column withoutinterfering with the electrical circuit, thesteering support S is provided with the suitably insulated stationary conductor rings 30 and 31 adapted to be engaged by brush contacts 30' and 31 carried by the rotatable shaft S.

The output terminals of the amplifier device D are connected by the wires 32-and 33 with the stationary brush contacts 34 and 35 on the support 24 and which brush contacts are adapted to engage with the rings 3i and 35 on the insulated band 26. These rings are in turn connected by the wires 34 and 35 with the reproducer or loud-speaker F suitablysupported in the hood H and preferably adjacent the mouth of the animal or other figure sothatsounds will have the effect of issuing from the mouth of the animal constituting the hood.

With the microphone system described it will 5 be apparent that the operator of the vehicle, in adidtion to making the animal constituting the hood assume fantastic gyrations, can also speak into the microphone and have his speech or sounds reproduced through the mouth of the figure.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides novel features in an amusement car, which together with other cars form a novel animated ensemble which increases the interest and patronage of the device and provides the patrons with an amusement in which they can participate.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understoodfthat changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: r

1. An occupant-controlled amusement device comprisinga car havingan operator's seat, steering means, a rotatable: unit includinga concealed traction and steering wheel operatively connected with said steering means, and a hood including direction indicating.meanscarried by said rotatable unit.

2. An occupant-controlled amusement device comprising a car having an operators seat, steering means, a rotatable unit comprising a motor driven combined traction and guiding wheel operatively connected with said steering means and a hood carried by said unit and simulating a 1 its (7; r at) figure, said hood having a relatively fixed relation to said traction and guiding wheel whereby when the unit is turned by the steering means the figure will indicate the direction of movement-of the car. 1

3. In an occupant-controlled amusement car,

a concealed rotatable propelled guiding and traction wheel, and a visible hood including direction indicating means mounted to rotate with the concealed guiding and traction wheel.

4. In an occupant-controlled amusement car, a floor, a rotatable motor driven concealed traction and steering wheel arranged beneath the floor, and a hood simulating a figure arranged above the floor and mounted to rotate with the concealed traction and steering wheel whereby the said figure will indicate the direction of movement of the car.

5. In an amusement car including a platform, a seat on said platform, wheels carried by the platform adjacent the seat location, a rotatable unit mounted on the platform in advance of the seat and comprising a motor driven combined traction and guiding wheel also arranged beneath the platform, steering means operatively connected with said rotatable unit, and a hood simulating a figure carried by said unit and rotatable therewith to indicate the direction of movement of the car.

6. An animated amusement device comprising in combination, a dirigible car having an operators seat, a combined steering and traction wheel, steering means operatively connected with the combined steering and traction Wheel, a hood simulating a sound emitting figure rotatable with the said combined guiding and traction wheel, and an operators voice amplifying system carried by the car, said system comprising a circuit including a reproducer mounted in said hood, a microphone mounted on the steering means, and an amplifier.

7. An animated amusement device comprising in combination, a dirigible car having a seat, a combined guiding and traction wheel, steering means operatively connected with the combined guiding and traction wheel, a hood simulating a sound emitting figure rotatable with the said combined guiding and traction wheel, and an amplifier system carried by the car, said system comprising an amplifying device, a microphone supported in a position convenient to an occupant of the car and connected to the input of the amplifier, and a reproducer connected with the output of the amplifier and located within the hood which simulates a sound emitting figure.

8. An amusement apparatus comprising a car including a platform, a combined guidingand traction unit rotatably mounted in said platform and comprising a ring fitted to an opening in said platform, a tubular member having a bearing in said ring, a motor supported at the upper end of said tubular member, a combined guiding and traction wheel journaled at the lower end of said tubular member and operatively connected with the motor, steeringmeans operatively connected with said tubular member, bracket means carried by said tubular member, and a hood simulating an animated figure supported by said bracket means thereby to rotate with said tubular member.

9. An amusement apparatus comprising a car having a platform provided with an opening a bearing ring fitted in said opening, a tubular member outwardly flanged at its lower end to provide a shoulder for engaging said bearing ring, a motor mounted at the upper end of said tubular member, a combined guiding and traction wheel mounted at the lower end of said tubular member and operatively connected with said motor,.a brush supporting bracket mounted on the platform adjacent the tubular member, an insulating ring carried by the tubular member, a plurality of conductor rings carried by said insulating member, and steering means operatively connected with said tubular member.

10. In a animated amusement car having an occupant steered combined guiding and electrical- 1y driven traction unit adapted to receive power from an electrically'charged floor and ceiling, the combination of a hood simulating a sound emitting figure mounted to move with said unit and an electrical system for controlling the electrically driven traction unit and also controlling the sound emissions of said figure, said system including an electrical sound amplifier, an operators switch for simultaneously supplying power to the combined guiding and electrically driven traction unit and energizing the said amplifier, a microphone in the amplifier circuit, and a reproducer supported within the hood and included in circuit with the amplifying device.

11. An animated amusement device of the type adapted for use in an amusement enclosure including a dirigible car, a combined guiding and traction wheel therefor, steering means operatively connected with the combined guiding and traction wheel, a hood for the combined guiding and traction wheel and having the form of a mute figure adapted in its natural state to emit sounds, said figure being connected for movement with the said combined guiding and traction Wheel, and a sound amplifying system carried by the car for causing the emission of artificial sounds from the mute figure.

FRED LAWRENCE MARKEY.

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